As the epidemic situation in Singapore’s Omicron stabilized and the number of new confirmed cases in a single day continued to decline, the epidemic prevention measures were further loosened from March 29, including the relaxation of the number of people in social gatherings from a maximum of 5 to a maximum of 10 people. people can choose not to wear masks outdoors. However, it is still mandatory to wear masks in indoor places.
Since the outbreak of the epidemic in 2020, the Singapore government has restricted the number of people in social gatherings and restaurants to prevent the epidemic. This time, it has been relaxed to a maximum of 10 people in groups, which is the most relaxed one in two years. Many people are very happy about this. On the first day of the new measures, although some people on the street did not wear masks, most people still wore masks outdoors. Some people who went to the well-known local landmark Merlion Park also took off their masks only when taking pictures, and put them back on after taking pictures.
Songkran is one of the most important festivals in Thailand, and it is also the time when Thais return home to celebrate the festival. In previous years, large-scale water splashing activities were held all over the country. Bangkok’s main business districts such as Silom and Khao San Road are first-class battlefields. Every year, it attracts countless international tourists to Thailand to enjoy the fun of being splashed with water. It is an extremely important source of tourism in Thailand.
However, in the first year of the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020, the government banned all celebrations and inter-province movements. That year’s Songkran Festival became the coldest and driest Songkran festival in half a century. The epidemic slowed down in 2021, and the government advised the public to avoid moving across provinces as much as possible, only allow people to go to temples to pray for blessings, and prohibit large-scale water splashing activities.
Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha agreed that all celebrations for Songkran Festival from April 13 to 15 this year can be held, and people can move across provinces, but during celebrations, epidemic prevention regulations must be followed. Originally, businesses on Khao San Road expected to resume the famous water splashing activities to bring more tourism revenue, but the Thai Epidemic Command Center has announced on the 24th that it is prohibited to splash water or hold foam parties in public places, and recommends that people do a quick screening before participating.
